Radiation is used to perform many medical diagnostic and therapeutic tests and procedures. Medical, veterinary, or research personnel may be involved in the performance of these tests and procedures. These professionals are being exposed to scattered radiation as they perform their work. The long-term effects of this exposure are poorly understood at the present time, but are considered serious enough to warrant mandatory protection for operators, who are required to wear garments or barriers that contain materials, which absorb a significant proportion of the radiation. In order to properly perform tests or procedures on patients, operators require freedom of motion. Providing a personal radiation protection system and method that properly protects operators, while allowing operators to move freely and comfortably, presents a significant challenge for operators in radiation environments.